


Betrayed

by Sumi



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Genre: F/M, Failure to Communicate, Faking Recovery From Injury/Trauma So People Will Stop Worrying About You, Family backstabbing and power struggles, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-29
Updated: 2018-09-29
Packaged: 2019-07-14 04:28:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16032992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sumi/pseuds/Sumi
Summary: After being forced to kill Bartrand, Hawke heads to the Hanged Man to see how Varric is holding up.Spoiler: It isn't good.





	Betrayed

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kmfillz](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kmfillz/gifts).



“Varric, how are you doing?”

“Perfectly fine, Hawke.”

“You don’t look fine, Varric.”

“Anything else you want to discuss, Hawke?”

“Varric!”

“Yes, Hawke?”

Marian pinched the bridge of her nose. In the entire time she’d known Varric, he was never one to stay quiet about something. He always talked. Mostly about nothing, but Marian loved hearing Varric weave his tales. The dwarf truly did have a wonderful way of words. Both writing and talking, which was why she was so worried.

The way Varric was shutting down wasn’t like the dwarf she knew. Since the confrontation with Bartrand he’d been acting different. Staying in his room at the Hanged Man and not saying much. Marian felt at a loss on how to break through to him.

Varric refused to respond to Marian’s prompting. She sighed, realizing a different method would need to be used since the straightforward method kept failing.

“Varric, seeing as I drew the short straw, I think it’s only fair you let me in,” Marian said, shifting to a more playful demeanor. “Imagine the comments Isabela will come up with if I return so soon? She won’t throw in one dirty joke or limerick.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “Rivani not making an innuendo? Imagine the horror.”

“So what do you say, Varric? Willing to help a friend say face?”

“Come on in, Hawke.”

It was a hollow victory for Marian. She wanted past Varric’s door, but not under false pretenses. Marian pushed those thoughts aside and walked towards her usual seat at the table where they always played Wicked Grace. Varric joined her moments later and took the seat directly across from Marian.

He smiled at Hawke, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Thirty minutes should be enough to keep Rivani off your back.”

“I appreciate you helping me keep Isabela at bay.” Marian wanted to comment how she was sure Varric could last longer. It wasn’t the time. “However, I had hoped we could make some headway and you’d let me finally know what’s going on in that beardless head of yours.”

“Now Hawke, did you come here under false pretenses?”

Marian knew it destroyed Varric to end Bartrand’s life. Perhaps it was foolish to ask Varric how he was doing, but Marian remembered how lost she felt after her mother died. Her friends hadn’t let her close off after Leandra’s death and she refused to let Varric do it either.

She smiled sadly. “I’m afraid I did. We’re worried about you, Varric.”

An impassive expression took over Varric’s face. She watched his posture stiffen and waited for Varric to gather his bearings so he could answer. The tension was so thick in the room that Marian was tempted to see if she could cut it with one of her daggers.

“Bartrand is dead. What else is there to discuss?” he asked flatly.

The tone caused Marian’s heart to sink. “Varric, you need to give me something. I don’t know how to help you.”

She and Varric often understood each another’s needs. Sometimes all it took was a glance. When Marian looked at Varric now, she saw the man breaking and not an idea how to stop it.

He sighed. “How about a game of Wicked Grace?”

“Varric…”

“Please Hawke. Just leave it be for now and play a bloody game with me.” It sounded right on the cusp of being a plead.

Marian retrieved the cards and promptly sat back in her seat. “What do you say to a game of Wicked Grace: Strip edition?” 

She waited to see if Varric would accept her offer of comfort. Deep down Marian suspected it was more than that. However, now was not the time to figure out her complicated feelings for Varric and the same went for him.

He smirked. “Why Hawke I thought you’d never ask!”


End file.
